The Vaal Inside track has a tricky nine race card tomorrow and by trends low draws are favourable on this track.

Weiho Marwing

The highest rated race on the card is a MR 87 handicap over 2000m and the Weiho Marwing-trained Let It Rain looks the one to beat. He proved last time he is coming into his own as a four-year-old, which is the case with many progeny of his sire Dynasty. On that occasion in a 2000m event he benefitted from hold up tactics, as opposed to his usual handy tactics, and swept through to win by three lengths from the promising Bush Pilot. He is seven points higher in the merit ratings but can build again.

Furthermore, he has a plum draw this time and the form of that last run has worked out well as Revelation, who was a 3,75 length third, has come out and won since over 1800m. Revelation beat Scotland in the latter race and Scotland now takes on Let It Rain. Scotland has come into his own too this season and has been thereabouts in two starts off a one point lower mark than his current merit rating, so should be involved in the finish again. Kingmambo’s Legacy, Trip To Rio and Go Direct can also be dangerous over this suitable trip.

It would be unusual to extract a card best bet out of a low grade fillies and mares handicap, but in race seven, a MR 61 Handicap for females over 2000m, the Gavin van Zyl-trained Mogok filly Costa Da Sol has everything in her favour. She stayed on well over 1600m in her penultimate start and then did well over a probable too far 2400m last time. The 2000m trip should be ideal and she has the bonus of both a plum draw of two as well as Gavin Lerena aboard.

The value bet comes out of race 6, a MR 70 Handicap over 2000m. The four-year-old Lateral colt Rain Shadow proved last time over 1600m, when looking likely to be swamped over 1600m but then fighting back to finish third, she is crying out for this trip and should go close despite a tricky draw.

The question in race 3 over 1600m is whether Rouge Allure will stay the trip as she will be a banker if she does. Om pedigree she should stay the trip comfortably, but she does possess speed, as well as a good turn of foot.

In race 8 over 1200m there will be a lot of interest in the Dynasty filly Always A Lady as she was not disgraced in a level weights Gr 3 for three-year-olds over 1400m last time and runs off a mere 79 merit rating here, while she did show some speed on debut.

In race 9 over 1300m Ebony Knight might also still be ahead of the handicapper, although King And Empire and Racethegreenlight could be go close too.

By David Thiselton

The Gr 3 Christmas Handicap run over 1600m at Greyville on Monday saw the Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana proving he preferred the turf, although the runner up Celtic Captain has to be considered a touch unlucky.

Meanwhile, in the UK the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack proved himself another superstar in a golden era of jumps racing.

Rikitikitana (Nkosi Hlophe)

Rikitikitana, a four-year-old Toreador gelding bred by The Alchemy, ran on strongly from behind down the inside to win the Christmas Handicap by 0,5 lengths from a wide draw under leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

The runner up Celtic Captain jumped from a plum draw of two, but was trapped one wide without cover the whole way and was a little strong in the running. With cover he could well have won the race and as he gave the winner 8,5kg this was a fine effort. He looks to be a decent miler and can be followed. Rikitikitana had scraped into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52kg. Celtic Captain’s Gareth van Zyl-trained stablemate Budapest confirmed himself back in form by finishing third.

Tarry and Hewitson had a double at the meeting, as did Alistair Gordon and Anton Marcus. Prolific owner Roy Moodley added another two winners to a fine run he has had in December.

At Kempton Park the novice chaser Thistlecrack, an eight-year-old gelding, destroyed a small but top class field in the prestigious King George VI three miles. Greatness is sometimes described as those who make top opposition look ordinary and last year’s winner Cue Card looked just that.

Cue Card was dropped on the turn like a ball out of a motorcar having ranged up to challenge his powerful stablemate down the back straight. Thistlecrack could afford to measure the last jump and was being eased down at the line to win by a 3,25 length margin which flattered the opposition.

Last season he showed himself to have an incredible engine when annihilating all before him in staying hurdles races. He is now unbeaten in four chases and that engine is in evidence one again as he seems to run strongly throughout but still has a ton in hand at the finish. His jumping had been a concern, but he proved just how bold and clever a leaper he is when on two occasions standing almost outside the wings of an open ditch yet still sailing over easily. He was able to correct himself on those two and other occasions.

Jockey Tom Scudamore summed it up when saying afterwards, “”He’s on his own. Between myself, my father and grandfather we’ve had about 3,000 winners and he’s the best one of the lot.””

Thistlecrack is a legend in the making and although jumps racing does not have a big following in South Africa it should be well worth tuning in whenever he runs.

By David Thiselton

Red Ray will have his first start since his Mercury Sprint win in July in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on January 14. Joey Ramsden reports that he will then go for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship a fortnight later.

The same two races are planned for both last season’s Cape Flying winner Gulf Storm and fourth-placed Tevez who justified 3-1 favouritism in last Saturday’s Southeaster Sprint.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who was landing her first treble, said: “The problem is that these races all come on top of each other but Tevez will probably run in both those two.”

Red Ray (Liesl King)

Gulf Storm ran far better than Saturday’s eighth place would suggest. He was beaten less than three and a half lengths, despite giving lumps of weight all round and being baulked just inside the final furlong.

Brett Crawford said: “It was only his second run back and it was very hard for him at the weights. It will be much nearer levels in the Diadem and that should make a big difference.”

Suggestions that Sergeant Hardy should also take his chance in the Cape Flying after the way he blitzed the opposition in the Need For Speed Sprint were dismissed by Justin Snaith who made it clear that he has more valuable fish to fry.

The former champion trainer, sending out his 90^th winner of the season, said: “He goes for the CTS $500 000 1 200m race on the same card. He is an unbelievable horse, completely gone in the wind but so tough.”

Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual is the most notable absentee from the 18 entries for the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, particularly as half them are three-year-olds, and Ramsden said: “She will go for either the Klawervlei  Majorca (Jan 28) or one of the two CTS $500 000 races that day.”

Interestingly Ramsden added that Table Bay will step up to 2 000m for his next run, the Investec Cape Derby, after being beaten into third when starting favourite for the Cape Guineas.

Mrs Bass-Robinson will run Nightingale as well as Silver Mountain in the Paddock despiteher doubts about the 1 800m trip for last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner – “On pedigree she should get it but her performances are better over shorter. Mind you, I don’t think Inara really stayed the Paddock distance but she got away with it.”

Seemingly the Milnerton trainer was hardly surprised that Marinaresco should be landed with a bad draw (14) in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on Saturday week. “What’s new?” she said. “He and The Conglomerate are always having to start on the back foot.”

The pair were drawn widest of all when first and second in the Durban July, Marinaresco was drawn two off the outside when winning the Champions Cup and The Conglomerate 14 out of 19 when he was second in the Sansui Summer Cup.

Even so, World Sports Betting has installed Marinaresco as favourite at 11-10 and make last season’s winner Legal Eagle next best at 13-10. Other prices are 12-1 Whisky Baron, 14-1 The Conglomerate, 20-1 Captain America, French Navy, It’s My Turn, 25-1 St Tropez, 33-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Kapteinspandiseile can play to the right tune for Mike Robinson and Richard Fourie in the 1 400m maiden at Kenilworth today.

Both men are bang in form – the Philippi trainer had a double last Saturday when Fourie notched up a four-timer – and the way the gelding ran over a furlong less here three weeks ago suggests he is the one they all have to beat.

“He doesn’t show us too much at home and so we expected him to finish about four lengths off the winner,” recalls Robinson of last time’s head second in a field of 16. “What got me excited was the turn of foot that he showed. Richard is very confident.”

Richard Fourie (Liesl King)

The three-year-old was a 13-1 chance that day but he opened 18-10 favourite with World Sports Betting on Monday. The dangers, on both form and betting, are Gadget Man and R5 000 bargain basement buy Icon King. Both opened at 7-2.

Secret Idea may get favourite backers off to a good start in the first although there have to be concerns over Greg Cheyne’s mount dropping in trip because he finished well over 1 200m last time in a manner that suggested he should be going over further, not less.

“It was an added-in race and I see those as easy pickings,” Justin Snaith explains. Apparently the National Racing Bureau sometimes finds that an extra race is needed when they finalise the declarations. They then quickly ring round the trainers, some of whom may not be available, and the result is a relatively weak field of after-thoughts.

Secret Idea was 12-10 favourite yesterday with stable companion The Right Road next at 28-10 but Snaith says that this newcomer has not yet been on grass – or at least he hadn’t been by last Saturday. The biggest danger may come from 11-2 chance Trojan Quest,

There is almost nothing to choose between Silver Laurel (5-2), Keep The Faith (22-10) who is taking a significant step up in trip, and Sandy Bay (28-10) in the Racing Association Maiden. The last-named will run out a convincing winner according to the sahorseracing computer.

Joey Ramsden has a big chance of following up with Colorado Rose in the next but fellow 28-10 shot Possibly Me is preferred. Fourie’s mount is going over extra ground and significantly Glen Kotzen says: “It was a little bit short for her last time.”

Lyle Hewitson flies down for six rides for Paul Reeves plus one for Darryl Hodgson. “He hasn’t ridden for me before,” says Reeves. “I was struggling to get jockeys to commit so I thought I would try somebody new.”

He gives several of the six place chances but points out that some are drawn too wide. Maybe Rebel’s Idol in race seven will prove best.

By Michael Clower

Kenilworth Wednesday 28 December Race Previews by Warren Lenferna

Race 1
Preview: SECRET IDEA went very close to winning last time and looks set to get it all right today. SUCCESSION PLAN improved length wise last time and is one that must be watched and included for further improvement. TROJAN QUEST is coming along the right way and is a must for the quartet in a field like this. Keep an eye on the first timer comments and the betting. (Warren Lenferna 1-6-2)

Race 2
Preview: The very well named KAPTEINSPANDISEILE hails from a stable that is in mustard form. He improved out of sight last time and should be very, very hard to beat over the extra. His trainer did say when making a comment for the debut run that he would want ground and that is what he gets today – hard to beat. ICON KING is now becoming very costly to follow from a punting perspective but he keeps running well and earning for his owner and should get it right soon. GADGET MAN is better than his last run. (Warren Lenferna 11-4-6)

Race 3
Preview: SANDY BAY bumps a moderate field and based on her best form should prove a hard horse to beat here. KEEP THE FAITH ran well enough last time to suggest that she should not be a maiden for very much longer. If she were to win today it would be no shock at all. CALL ME DARLING has a strong place chance from the best draw – Richard Fourie gets the ride today. (Warren Lenferna 4-3-2)

Race 4
Preview: POSSIBLY ME ran well last time and today over the extra distance which should suit her down to the ground she should be able to go one better – her draw id good and she gets the services of the same rider that rode her last time. COLORADO ROSE and PUT THE BERRIES have chances as well and must be respected and included but they will have to go some to beat the first choice – Possibly Me. (Warren Lenferna 3-2-1)

Race 5
Preview: KONKOLA has done well since shedding her maiden tag a few runs back and this is a positive sign that she has some ability and should go on to win a few races. Her draw is neat and there are a lot of positives in her favour to suggest she can go very close to winning this afternoon. ALL MINE ran second last time and has to be given a chance here but is set to carry top weight. Hat trick seeking ROCK ON WOOD could well reel off the hat trick – she is racing well and won her last race with ease – respect again. (Warren Lenferna 6-1-2)

Race 6
Preview: MR PISCATO has been running well recently and his last run was particularly good – he is the firm first choice. CHARLIE STRONG can never be ignored – he has the ability to pop up in a race like this – serious respect here. JUDDERING ANGEL is very seldom too far off the action and is a must for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 3-2-1)

Race 7
Preview: SAILS SET ran behind a good horse last time and brings solid overall form into the race. He does get top weight but could still prove a very hard horse to beat today. INDIGO STORM, REBEL’S IDOL and STATE BALLET look set to fill the minor money positions. (Warren Lenferna 1-5-6)

Race 8
Preview: CORTADA won on debut in the manner of a very good horse. He was then travelled to PE and never shone at all. He is now back on home turf and surely still has tons more to offer. He is the confident first choice in what looks a moderate field. VIKING VOYAGE won well last time and has an undeniable chance of following up. SAINT DONAN has a strong place chance. (Warren Lenferna 2-1-4)

Race 9
Preview: All of FAIRY MAKER, PRIMROSE LANE and TRIP TO INDIA must be included in the short list as the winner should come from one of these three. The race is hard so try and include as many as your budget will allow. (Warren Lenferna 9-2-1)